Strange noises in the night and disappearing objects was not what Nancy Drew expected on her trip to see her great Aunt. After asking for details she learns of an old legend that states the house is haunted by a beautiful young ghost that looks simi...
"Nancy you won't believe it!" cried Bess as she burst into the room, obviously upset about something.
"What happened Bess? Has there been a bad accident of any kind?" asked Nancy.
"Yes, there has been, It's my white lace gown and it's ruined!" the girl said between sobs.
"Is that all? Whoa, that's a relief." thought Nancy before she asked, "How could that have happened? It's been in your suitcase most of the day hasn't it?" Nancy replied.
"I must have packed some bright red lipstick in that suitcase by accident, and now the tube has come open making the lipstick smear all over the gown," Bess answered.
"It's alright, we can get you another one later in town. It's not that big of a deal Bess. No need to worry about it so much." Nancy assured trying her best to calm the girl.
"No, you don't understand! We can't replace it because that was an old vintage dress of my grandmother's! That dress must be close to fifty years old! Oh, Nancy, there's no way she will never forgive me! She wore that dress on the day she met my grandfather at the church picnic many years ago!" Bess whined as she continued to shed a stream of tears.
"Oh, please calm down, why don't we take it down with us and see if someone here can try to get the stains out? I've heard that a lot of the staff on large estates like this one, can do miracles when it comes to cleaning. I'm sure somebody here knows lots of cleaning tips and tricks that might help with this problem." Nancy said, then she hugged Bess trying to soothe her.
"Yeah, you never know unless you try. I do think we need to get going unless we intend to be late for dinner," added George, not caring much for Bess's dramatics.
"Alright but I'm afraid that I've lost my appetite from all this," Bess replied, as she started to calm down.
"Don't be so sure about that. I'm pretty sure it's roast beef and rolls that I smell cooking," George said, already drooling slightly.
"Really that sounds so good, maybe I can get down just a little if I try," confirmed Bess.
Once they reached the bottom of the grand old staircase, they spotted the butler waiting on them. He eyed Bess and the dress, in a questioning way with one eyebrow raised.
"I'm afraid this dress accidentally got stained and we were wondering if anyone here could clean it for us?" asked Nancy.
"Well I suppose Emily could find a way to handle it somehow," he answered back in a bothered way, as he carried it carelessly away.
"Did you notice the strange way he was staring at me?" asked Bess once the butler was out of earshot.
"Must be because of your face looking so pink from all that crying," answered Nancy.
"I wonder which way the dining room is? I'm feeling so hungry I could eat a horse," asked George.
"That's an easy one to answer. All you need to do is just follow your nose." piped in Bess, when she led the way towards the left of the home and into the large fancy dining room. The walls were covered in wood paneling and from the ceiling, a large crystal chandelier hung right above a long table made to seat ten.
As they walked in they spotted a little old lady sitting at the end of the long wooden table. She looked to be around eighty years old, had a small frame, her hair was up in an old-fashioned style bun and had soft gray eyes.
"Nancy it's so nice to see you again after so long." said the women, as she came over to Nancy and her friends. "You've grown up to be so lovely and look so much like your sweet mother. Oh, how I've missed seeing you both so much these past few years," she whispered, as they hugged. As they pulled away Nancy could see some tears in her caring eyes.
"These are my best friends from back home in River Heights, Bess, and George. "
"So nice to meet both of you, however, I do think we should have a seat and eat before this pot roast gets cold." suggested the elderly women.
"This looks so yummy," Bess exclaimed, as she looked upon the large pot roast, mashed potatoes, garden greens, and yeast rolls spread out across the table.
"What have you girls been up to here lately?" asked the aunt.
"I've mostly just active stuff like marathon training and volunteering at the local food bank," answered George.
"I've been learning how to sew and quilt from my grandmother." piped in Bess.
"How about you Nancy?" George asked.
"Well, lots of things. Along with volunteering at the library, helping my father, and reading I've been solving mysteries around town." Nancy replied.
"What kind of mysteries dear?" asked Aunt Betty showing concern.
"All kinds of mysteries. The last case was involved in a whispering statue." Bess said.
"However, it, of course, didn't really whisper. It had holes drilled in it that allowed the statue to make sounds when the wind blew through it." added in Bess.
"That's quite impressive Nancy but do make sure to be careful. I care and worry about you an awful lot."
"Yes, I do understand. Father tells me the same thing all the time." Nancy replied.
"Oh, don't worry mam.", George added with a wink. "Nancy is safe with us, we will never let anyone ever harm her..."
<Bonus Files> In the case that involved a whispering statue, Bess is referring to the #14 book in the classic series. It also just happens to be my fave book from this collection. Do you have a face Nancy Drew book? If so comment below, let's see which one is the most beloved.
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